Quiz: Howstuffworks

Can You Pass this "General Science" Quiz?

Jouviane Alexandre

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

How much of your science lessons do you remember? Take this general science quiz to test your knowledge.

We're not sure why science wasn't everyone's favorite subject in school. We think it was awesome. Still, for some people, general scientific knowledge just does not come easy. Even though it's primarily about the world around us, people and animals, and the skies above us, science can get pretty technical. But, we're assuming that you really liked science, or at least did well in the subject, or you wouldn't be interested in this quiz.

Science encompasses disciplines such as chemistry, biology, earth science, and astronomy. The good news is that the term "general science" means that nothing gets too particular - just a general overview of these topics. After all, if you were interested in specifics, you probably would have become a chemist, biologist, geologist, or astronaut. Assuming you did not enter one of these technical professions, we'll keep the questions pretty basic in this quiz.

So, if you know which of the world's oceans is the largest, what planet is closest to the sun, and the word for an animal that eats both plants and animals, you'll do well on this quiz. (BTW, if you answered Pacific, Mercury, and omnivore, you're right).

Let's see if you can ace this quiz.

What is the name of the largest ocean?

Atlantic

Arctic

Indian

Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is the largest followed by the Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic.

Which element has the Sn?

Sodium

Strontium

Tin

Selenium

Tin, which has atomic number 50 gets its abbreviations for the Latin translation, stannum.

Which of these carries a positive charge?

Protons

Neutrons

Electrions

Anions

Protons carry a positive charge while electrons carry a negative charge and neutrons have no net charge.

What is the process where plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into food?

Germination

Photosynthesis

Phosphorylation

Transcription

This process is known as photosynthesis where the plant uses energy from the sun to create food.

Which planet is closest to the Sun?

Venus

Uranus

Mercury

Mars

In the popular mnemonic for the planets in order from closest to furthest away from the Sun, the first M stands for Mercury.

How many planets are there (as of 2016)?

9

8

7

10

Although most of us grew up with Pluto being one of the planets, in 2006 it was 'demoted' to a dwarf-planet.

What is the first element on the periodic table?

Oxygen

Helium

Hydrogen

Carbon

Hydrogen is the first element on the periodic table with the abbreviation "H."

Which scientist is known for the theory behind natural selection?

Einstein

Darwin

Pasteur

Mendel

Charles Darwin, who is heavily recognized for his work on evolution, was known for the idea of natural selection - the idea that animals that could adapt to their environment had better chances at survival.

Cirrus, stratus, and cumulus are types of what?

Plants

Insects

Clouds

Rocks

Clouds are broken up by levels. The highest includes cirrus and the lowest level clouds are stratus, cumulus, and stratocumulus.

What is electric power typically measured in?

Amps

Volts

Ohms

Watts

Watts are used to measure power while amps, volts, and ohms measure current, voltage, and resistance, respectively.

What is the pH level of water?

1

7

14

10

The pH level of water is around 7, which gives it a neutral level rather than being very acidic (pH ~1) or very basic/alkaline (pH ~14).

What is the largest dessert in the world?

Sahara

Antarctica

The Arctic Desert

Arabian Desert

The largest deserts are the polar deserts, Antarctica being the largest and the Arctic Desert coming in second. The Sahara desert is the largest non-polar desert.

What is the 8th element on the periodic table?

Carbon

Helium

Potassium

Oxygen

Oxygen, which has an atomic number of 8, is the 8th element on the periodic table.

Nucleon is the name for which two particles?

Neutron & Electron

Neutron & Proton

Electron & Proton

Electron & Neutron

Nucleons help make up the atomic nucleus and the two known kinds are protons and neutrons.

What is the study of plant life known as?

Biology

Zoology

Botany

Ecology

Botany is the study of plant life while biology is the study of life and living organisms, zoology is the study of animal life, and ecology is the study of organisms and their relationship with their environment.

What is the hottest planet in the solar system?

Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Although Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, Venus is actually the hottest planet, maintaining a temperature of 462 degrees Celsius.

What is the largest planet in the Solar System?

Saturn

Jupiter

Uranus

Neptune

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System followed by Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and then Earth.

What is the main gas found in the air we breathe?

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Hydrogen

Helium

Although most are made to believe it's oxygen, science class taught us that 78% of the air we breathe is made of up nitrogen gas while only 20% is oxygen.

What are animals that eat both animals and plants known as?

Carnivores

Herbivores

Omnivores

Multivores

With the prefix 'omni-' meaning all, omnivores are animals that eat 'all' things referring to both plants and animals.

What temperature does water boil at?

100 degrees Fahrenheit

100 degrees Celsius

0 degrees Celsius

300 degrees Fahrenheit

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius which is 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is the largest organ of the body?

The liver

The brain

The skin

The lungs

The largest organ of the body is the skin followed by the liver, brain, lungs, and heart.

Arachnophobia is the fear of what?

Snakes

Spiders

Squirrels

Animals

Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders which comes from the Greek word, arachne, which means spider.

What is the name of a scientist who studies rocks?

Geologist

Paleontologist

Pedologist

Meteorologist

Not to be confused with paleontologists, geologists study the Earth and the rocks that made it while paleontologists study the history of life through fossils.

How many elements are on the periodic table?

100

200

118

160

There are 118 elements on the periodic table - the first being Hydrogen (H) and the last Ununoctium (Uuo).

What was the name of the scientist who believed the Earth was at the center of the universe?

Ptolemy

Pasteur

Galileo

Ehrlich

Claudius Ptolemy argued the theory that the Earth was at the center of the universe, but his theory was eventually proven false.

What was the name of the scientist who stated that the Sun was at the center of the universe?

Newton

Curie

Copernicus

Faraday

Nicolaus Copernicus refuted Ptolemy's ideas and stated that the universe was heliocentric and revolved around the Sun. He also was the first to state that the Earth spun on its axis once a day and completely revolved around the Sun annually.

Have many moons does Earth have?

1

2

3

4

While Mercury and Venus have no moons and Jupiter and Saturn have 60+, Earth only has one moon, which is ironically named, "Moon."

What is the symbol for gold on the periodic table?

Au

Ag

Fe

Fi

On the periodic table, the symbol for gold is Au which is derived from the Latin world for gold which is 'aurum.'

Have many chromosomes do humans have?

12

23

46

1

Although you might be tempted to choose 23, humans have 23 PAIRS of chromosomes meaning in total we have 46.

At what temperature does water freeze?

32 degrees Fahrenheit

0 degrees Fahrenheit

32 degrees Celsius

None of the above

Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit which is equivalent to 0 degrees Celsius.

How many bones are in the average adult human body?

270

150

300

206

Although babies are born with 270 bones, this number decreases as some of the bones fuse together as the child ages ending with 206 bones.

What are sharks classified as?

Fish

Mammals

Amphibians

Reptiles

While some might believe that sharks are mammals like dolphins, sharks breathe through gills while dolphins use their lungs.

What gives the skin and hair its pigment?

Keratin

Melanin

Elastin

Collagen

Melanin is what gives the hair and skin it's pigment. The more melanin you have, the deeper the skin tone or shade.

Who proposed the theory of relativity?

Galileo

Einstein

Edison

Newton

In 1905, Einstein proposed the theory of relativity for all non-accelerating objects.

What is the general name used to reference the bones in the hands (not including fingers)?

Tarsals

Carpals

Phalanx

Phalanges

The bones in the hands are commonly referred to as the carpals. The phalanxes are the fingers while phalanges and tarsals are found in the foot.

Sponsored Links

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By
clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy and confirming that you are 13
years old or over.